


Fighting for Justice

by brokenpromisesandhope



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Biracial Character, Daddy!Derek, Family Issues, Fantastic Racism, Interracial Relationship, Kid Fic, Language, Love, M/M, Relationship(s), Social Justice, Vomit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-27 05:26:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6271510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenpromisesandhope/pseuds/brokenpromisesandhope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek and his daughter face racism, he must fight against it. (With the help of a new friend.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fighting for Justice

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all. This got self indulgent surprise surprise. As a biracial human many of these things have happened to me and my white mother. Also my white family can be lowkey (high key) racist. Also my black family can be prejudice as well. (I didn't include them but I totally can if y'all want more?)  
> Also please don't comment if you're going to be mean! Otherwise comment away. I feel like this fic is hella unique so I'd love to see what y'all thought!  
> Xx  
> T  
> Ps: how is this so damn long?!

Stiles falls in love with the child before he even sees her father. She looks about four, with tiny black curls held back by a sparkly pink headband. Her pink shirt stands out against her brown skin and she's holding a stuffed Princess Tiana doll in her arm. 

Before Stiles can take their order, a woman walks by, drink in her hand,  
"Oh my gosh! She's beautiful!" The woman says to her father. It's the first time Stiles looks at him, he's gorgeous. He's got thick black hair and a thick beard.  
"Thank you."  
"Of course. Where did you get her?"  
Stiles' eyes widen,  
"What do you mean?" The man asks, "She's my daughter."  
"No, of course she is. I was just wondering what part of Africa she was from, she looks Ethiopian-"

"Get out!" Stiles shouts, "Get out right now!"  
The woman looks confused,  
"I just-"  
"Get the hell out right now!" He shouts, face red, what the fuck is wrong with people?  
The little girl cowers back against her dad, and he reaches down to pick her up. He's breathing a bit heavier and his ears are red but he's not saying anything. 

It only takes a second for Lydia to come rushing out of the kitchen,  
"What's going on?"  
"A lady was just being incredibly racist so I asked her to leave."  
Her eyes narrow,  
"What?"  
"Yeah." Stiles says, still fuming.  
Lydia grabs a post it,  
"What's your name?"  
"Derek, Derek Hale."  
"Derek, my name is Lydia Martin and I own this cafe. You will never pay for another meal here."  
"No, no that's okay-"  
"Discrimination is never okay, and I am so sorry."  
"Really-"  
"No, it's already decided!" And she walks away. 

Derek orders but still tries to pay even though Stiles refuses, finally Derek sighs, shoving a twenty in the tip jar,  
"This is for you."  
"Thank you." Stiles says smiling.  
"Thank you Stiles." Derek says reading his nickname, "Let's go eat our lunch honey." 

Derek couldn't have asked for a better ex-fiancée. Honestly. Melody was beautiful and supportive and they still got along very well. Rowan is playing with Legos on the living room carpet and watching Paw Patrol when the doorbell rings. 

Derek sets the spoon down from where he's stirring the spaghetti sauce and goes to answer the door. Melody is standing there, a headband holding back her afro, eyes shining behind her glasses. She hugs him and kisses his cheek,  
"Hey Der."  
"Hey Mel. You look nice."  
"Thanks, I have conferences tonight."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Gotta make up for the blackness somehow." She says with a laugh.  
"It doesn't matter that you're a doctoral student and probably smarter than half of those parents?"  
She laughs,  
"Oh honey." She says shaking her head. "Excuse me, Ms.Rowan?" 

Rowan looks up and runs to her mom,  
"Mommy!"  
"There's my smart girl!"  
"Are you staying for dinner?"  
"No, I have to go back to work."  
"No!" She pouts,  
"Yes! Maybe tomorrow."  
"Okay!"  
"Okay, you can go play, I'm gonna talk to your dad." 

She follows Derek into the kitchen,  
"So what's the deal? You sounded upset earlier?"  
"I was."  
"Oh lord. What happened?" She says, accepting the glass of red wine he hands her.  
"Today someone asked me where I got Ro from."  
"What?!" She screeches.  
"I know, and she said-"  
"What did you say?"  
"Well I was going to say that was very disrespectful but the cashier beat me to it."  
"Derek." She sighs, "You should have said she came from my fiancées vagina you racist bitch."  
He snorts,  
"Well I sure couldn't say that."  
She laughs,  
"Honestly though. You've gotta get more aggressive Der. The racism is only going to get more serious as she gets older."  
"I know but-"  
"There's no buts Derek. She's your daughter and it's your job to defend her."  
"I know."  
Melody studies his face for a second before she nods,  
"I know you do." 

"Rowan, come on, we're done with the tv."  
"But my show's not over yet!"  
"I don't care, it's bath time."  
"No daddy!"  
"Yes. Don't make me count!"  
Rowan sighs, but turns off the tv, walking to the bathroom.  
The tub is already filled with warm bubbly water and Rowan sheds her clothes, hopping in the tub and almost soaking her stuffed Princess Tiana doll.  
"Uh, uh, uh. Give me that."

"But daddy!"  
"Look, here." He hands her the Barbie she has for the bathtub and she grabs her, dunking her under the water immediately. Derek lets her play for a few minutes before he grabs the shampoo and conditioner,  
"Alright Rowan, let's start your hair."  
"No daddy!"  
"Rowan-"  
"It's going to hurt!"  
"Not if you sit still. I promise I'll be gentle when I comb it out."  
"You always say that!"  
"You're going to be ok, just let me-"  
"No!" She screeches, lurching away from him.  
"Rowan Maya Hale! I do not have time for this. You get over here right now and get your hair washed or no tv for a week!" 

Finally she lets him wash her hair and scrub her up and then she's in her pajamas on the floor, watching Teen Titans when Derek starts combing her hair. Melody had had to show him how to do this many times before he figured it out. He alternates between adding moisturizer and curl cream and combs gently with a wide tooth comb. Once he's done, he wraps her headscarf on,  
"Alright princess, it's time for bed."  
He deposits her in her bed and kisses her forehead. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him,  
"You did a good job daddy. That didn't hurt at all."  
"Thanks Ro."  
"I love you!"  
"I love you too."  
"Love you more!" She shouts as Derek shuts the door slightly,  
"Doubtful." 

Derek is woken up to Rowan shaking him,  
"Daddy, daddy." She says between sobs. He shoots up, grabbing her and putting her on his lap, she's wet and smells awful,  
"I'm sick." She cries.  
Derek takes her to the bathroom and her pajamas are covered in all sorts of secretions. He removes her clothes and puts her on the bathtub, and before the tub is even full, she's puking again. 

She's sobbing and he lifts her out, wrapping her in a towel, cleaning out the bathtub. Before he's finished, she's puked again, in the toilet thankfully. She's burning up and her throat is raspy and Derek cleans her as best he can, dresses her in a fresh pair of pajamas, grabs her princess Tiana doll and her diaper bag and brings her to the car. 

She pukes in the bucket he gave her two more times, even though all he did was give her some water. Thankfully the emergency room isn't that busy, especially since Derek has to ask the nurse for a gown for her to wear because she ruined her pajama pants. 

Rowan's cheeks are red and she won't stop crying, clinging to Derek the whole time. She pukes on him a few times and he removes his tshirt, just zipping up the sweatshirt he was wearing. After about a half hour, they're brought into a room. 

Rowan looks so small in the huge hospital bed, covered in blankets because she keeps whining about how cold she is. She wails when they give her an IV and Derek tries to calm her. They have to wait another forty minutes for the doctor to come in, and it's an older white man, who looks shocked when he sees Rowan.  
"Okay, I'm going to run some tests and see what kind of bug this might be. It could simply be a bad case of the stomach flu, or food poisoning but I want to rule our more serious things first, especially since she's African." 

Derek looks up,  
"What?"  
"She's African, and you know they don't like to vaccinate their children-" the doctor keeps talking like what he's saying actually makes sense-  
"Get out." Derek demands.  
"What?"  
"Get out. Get the fuck out! She's my biological daughter, she's been vaccinated for everything and she's extremely sick clearly and she's not having some fucking ignorant asshole put their hands on her!"  
The doctor turns red,  
"I just-"  
"Get me another doctor right now or I'm suing this hospital!" Derek shouts, not causing Rowan to cry louder. 

The doctor finally leaves and Derek crawls into the bed, wrapping his arms around Rowan,  
"It's fine baby. It's fine. Everything's going to be okay." 

It turns out it was just a wicked case of the stomach flu and she's all better five days later. She's in the cart with Princess Tiana, and Derek's picking out a few corn on the cobs, when he hears a familiar voice,  
"Hey, Derek Hale."  
Derek turns around and sees Stiles from the cafe. He's wearing a beanie and a loose tshirt and tight jeans, He's gorgeous.  
"Stiles, hey."  
"And I believe I haven't met you officially yet. I'm Stiles."  
Rowan smiles,  
"I'm Rowan! And this is Tiana!"  
"Hi Rowan, hi Tiana!"  
"Hi Stiles!" 

"How are you?" Stiles asks, following Derek to the fruit.  
"I've been good. You?"  
"I've been good. You're not taking full advantage of your free food at the cafe."  
Derek laughs,  
"I've been busy."  
"Well we miss you."  
"Is that so?"  
Derek smiles,  
"Do you want some watermelon?" Derek asks Rowan.  
"Yeah daddy!" 

"That's a dumb question," says a teenage boy who's pushing a cart by, "Black people love watermelon."  
Before Derek can even say anything, Stiles whips around and glares,  
"Are you fucking kidding me? You're nearly an adult and you're stereotyping a fucking child? Please shut the fuck up and go away." He snaps.  
The boy looks like he wants to say something else but his mother is already coming up and putting a sack of potatoes in the cart,  
"Come on, we're on a time schedule."  
Stiles flips him off as he walks away. 

Derek is just staring at Stiles and he turns around,  
"I'm sorry, that wasn't my place I just couldn't let him say that."  
"No, no it's fine. I appreciate it."  
"You're welcome. People are just the scum of the earth honestly."  
"I know this may seem weird but, would you want to go to dinner with me sometime?" Derek asks, biting his lip.

"Yeah, of course." Stiles says, "What about tomorrow?"  
"Well I have Ro-"  
"That's fine."  
"Are you sure? She's kind of, a lot."  
"No, I'd love to. I love kids! Let me see your phone." Stiles adds his number to Derek's phone and smiles, "Alright, well I should go. I'll see you tomorrow."  
"See you!"  
"Bye bye!" Rowan calls. 

Derek shouldn't feel awkward about the fact that both him and Rowan are wearing #BlackLivesMatter shirts. They'd gone to church with Melody and her parents that morning and then somehow Derek got roped into staying to dish up Sunday dinner for the members of the church. He doesn't feel awkward because the restaurant or anything, but he's not sure what Stiles will think. 

He meets Stiles at the door and Stiles gives both him and Rowan a hug.  
"Hey." Derek says.  
"Hey. I didn't know it was #BlackLivesMatter shirt day, I would have worn mine!" He says with a smile.  
Derek immediately relaxes and Stiles leads them to an open booth. 

"Hello my name is Marlee, what can I get for you?"  
"Can I have a Coke, and a milk for her."  
"I'll have a Sprite." Stiles says, picking up a menu.  
"So how are you doing today?" Stiles asks.  
"We're good. We were at church with Rowan's mom and her family today."  
"That sounds fun. So what's that situation?" Stiles asks, "I know the ex talks aren't fun at all, but we should just get it or of the way."  
Derek nods and hands Rowan the crayons the waitress had given them. 

"Well I was engaged to a woman named Melody, and then Rowan was born. We got along really well and she's amazing but, our families kind of tore us apart. We coparent really well and she's one of my best friends but," he sighs, "Neither or our families are inherently racist but, it's a lot."  
Stiles nods,  
"I think it's really hard dating someone who has a different identity than you."  
Derek nods,  
"Well I've had some boyfriends, nothing too serious." 

"And, I think I know the answer but I just want to make sure because I already think you're amazing- you're fine with Rowan right?"  
"Yes. God yes. And, I think you're amazing too."  
Derek smiles and watches Rowan eat a chicken strip. 

The lunch is going well, Derek is falling more and more for Stiles when they start hearing the guys at the table in front of them,  
"I was like nigga, what is wrong with you? Ain't nobody got time for a fake ass nigga."  
The problem isn't the word, it's that both of the people at the other table are white. 

Derek feels his blood boil and he pushes up from the booth, walking over to them.  
"Excuse me."  
"What?"  
"My daughter and I are sitting over there and it's not appropriate for you to be talking like that."  
"Look man, fuck off."  
"Fuck off? Are you kidding me? How about you stop saying things you don't have any right to say."  
"I can say what the fuck I want."  
"You don't get to use a word used to dehumanize and oppress people!" Derek shouts. 

"Sir, what's going on?"  
"He's using the 'n' word and it's offensive to my daughter and I."  
Stiles stands up, pulling Rowan into his arms,  
"It's offensive to me too."  
The guys eyes widen when he sees that Rowan is black,  
"I,"  
"I want them to leave." Derek demands.  
"That's what we will do then. You two need to get out."  
"Are you kidding me?"  
"No. Get out. Now." 

Derek sighs in relief and both him and Stiles sit back down, but Derek doesn't feel like eating.  
"Is this what it's like all the time?" He asks Stiles.  
Stiles nods,  
"Unfortunately. Being woke sucks." 

Stiles and Derek have been dating for a few months when they're laying in Derek's bed after a date night downtown. Derek is laying on his back, arms crossed behind his head, Stiles laying on his chest, long fingers drawing patterns.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Nothing." Derek says automatically.  
"Babe, what's going on?"  
"I have a question."  
"Yeah."  
"How do you deal with the race stuff when it's your family? Like do you check your dad?"

Stiles laughs,  
"My dad is an old white man. Of course I have to check him. He's been really good about my being gay and stuff but his downfall is really racism and being transphobic but he tries. The important part is explaining politely and trying not to lose your cool, which is hard."  
"How do you not lose your cool with me?"  
"Derek. You don't say ignorant shit. I think you were just scared to stand up in those moments." 

"It just sucks that people can't see what I see in her. She's my daughter, before she's biracial or black or American or anything else."  
"I know."  
"I hate that people don't see her as just my daughter."  
"I know babe."  
"This world is fucked up."  
Stiles nods,  
"It is." 

Talia and Derek are in the kitchen preparing dinner, when he asks about her day.  
"It was long. I'm ready for the weekend. Oh, today I was at the bus stop and you wouldn't believe it. These two young boys were just being horribly ghetto. I mean if you want to avoid the stereotype you shouldn't act it you know?"  
"What do you mean?" Derek says slowly. 

"Well they just kept cussing and their pants were sagging, they looked like drug dealers."  
"Mom, that's racist." Derek says slowly.  
"What on earth are you talking about Derek?"  
"Were the kids black?"  
"Yeah."  
"That's racist. Calling them ghetto and drug dealers just because of the way they look." 

"Derek, I'm not racist!"  
"You do realize that not all black people are drug dealers, right? Look at Melody."  
"Melody is different than typical-"  
Derek raises his eyebrow and Talia pauses,  
"Don't you dare Derek! I am not racist. Melody is an educated, professional-"  
"Are these things that the average black person can't be? Are you happy that I picked the rare good black woman for my baby's mother?"  
"Am I happy that you don't have to deal with a crazy baby mama who milks you for child support? Yes!" 

"What are you even saying right now? You do realize my daughter is black right?"  
"She's not black, she's mixed."  
"Mixed, biracial, those are bullshit terms. She's biracial clearly because of me, but she's black. She looks black. People are not going to not call her the n word or not discriminate against her because she's slightly lighter than the typical black person. You don't seem to understand! All the snide little comments you all make about black people being ghetto or how they don't work hard, or that it's hard to comb my daughter's hair- that's all going to stop. I'm not going to have my daughter growing up and having her own family think racist things about her! She deals with enough shit she doesn't need you-"  
"Derek Anthony Hale!" She shouts, cutting him off. 

He tears out of the kitchen, grabbing his coat and Rowan's,  
"Rowan, let's go!"  
"But daddy!"  
"Now!" He shouts.  
"I thought we were sleeping over!" She says, starting to cry.  
"Not anymore, let's go!" He grabs her off the floor and all but runs out the door.  
She starts screaming before they even get to the car,  
"Daddy! Daddy! I don't wanna go! I want grandma! I want my dolly! Daddy we forgot my dolly!" She screams.

Derek buckles her in, his eyes blurry. She screams for about a half hour before she falls asleep, and Derek pulls out his phone,  
"Hey."  
"Hey babe. What's up?"  
"Can you meet me at my place?"  
"What happened?"  
"Just meet me. Please."  
"Of course."

Once Derek's done telling Stiles the story, he buries his face in his neck and starts crying,  
"I just, it sucks so fucking much. And I can't even handle it and I'm an adult. How is she going to be able to handle it? And I feel like I've just dealt her a bad hand."  
"Derek, don't say that. You're an amazing father."  
"I was never racist or anything but you know I had my biases and my stereotypical thoughts, but she's my daughter. And then I start thinking about how everyone is someone's kid and how can you treat someone's kid like that?" He lets out a little sob, and Stiles wipes at his own tears. 

"I know. This word is fucked up. People are fucked up."  
"My mom, she was just so mad at me. I've never heard her sound like that- doesn't she realize this is my daughter? My job, my only job is to protect her and love her."  
Stiles nods, pressing his lips to his forehead.  
"I just feel like this isn't worth it. We're here feeling the way we are and defending people and the fucking racists and homophobes and sexist people just get to keep being the way they are and we feel like shit and try to fight it every single day. And nothing fucking happens! There are still racists and homophobes and sexist people. It's just never going to get better." 

Stiles presses his fingers underneath Derek's chin, forcing him to look up,  
"Don't say that, don't you dare say that. We're fighting so Ro doesn't have to fight every day for the rest of her life. Maybe when she's like sixty or something she can stop fighting."  
Derek lets out a wet laugh,  
"You think?"  
"I know." Stiles says against his mouth.


End file.
